Compare towns
Meredith vs Sunapee vs Waitsfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Sunapee has the highest household income ($101k).
Waitsfield has the most kids (23.8% under 18).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Meredith | Sunapee | Waitsfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,758Highest |
3,416 |
1,918Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.5±3.7 43% above U.S. |
56.7±1.4Highest 46% above U.S. |
44.3±5.3Lowest 14% above U.S. |
| Sunapee and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.8%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.3%±7.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Meredith and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sunapee and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $87,019±$19k 8% above U.S. |
$101,393±$20kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$84,375±$34kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Sunapee and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$393,000±$51kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$422,400±$92k 27% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,713±$451Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,200±$821 15% below U.S. |
| Sunapee and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,006 61% above U.S. |
$4,400Lowest 41% above U.S. |
$6,208Highest 99% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.5%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.6%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±30.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Meredith and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±6.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #62 of 120 in NH | #14 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Sunapee School District | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | Inter-Lakes High School | Sunapee Sr. High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
11.9Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.